The chain that links us
by VenomousAngel13
Summary: Randy Orton had a simple life, kill the bad guys, earn money and kill some more bad guys, that was until he was sent on a mission to kill what he thought was a myth, now as he chases her and tries to do his job he finds himself asking questions he didn't even dare think about, will he find answers or will he will kill her so he doesn't have to know?
1. Job goes wrong

**Chapter 1 Job goes wrong**

"Do you know who you are? Who you are really?"

Her silver eyes shone up at me as her ruby red lips spoke the question. I had finally caught her, after months on end of relentless hunting and mindless puzzles, after all the blood that has been spilt I finally had her, and still she wishes to try and talk her way out of it. I guess that's her specialty, she didn't need to kill you or even injure you, she just spoke and by the time she was finished, you were too distracted to know that she had made an exit. Still now, as the only weapon that could kill her was pointed at her face, a thin trail of blood ushering down her eye. She still asked me the same question, the same one she asked when we first met. How different she was now compared to then. For one thing she was now on her back, and she was at my mercy.

"I don't need to know, you're dead"

Blood flew in every direction and at long last my mission was over. The funny thing was, I didn't want it too end. At the end of the day I could now admit that I loved her, it's true what they say, you always hurt the ones you love the most.

**Two Months earlier...**

"Come out little piggy, come out wherever you are" Another job, another little pig down. It was cute how the little theif was trying to hide, as if I couldn't smell her. I kept going through the hallway of the trash heap she called a building, I don't know why she thought that would hide her. Or perhaps, it was just her choice to die here. Oh she would die here, I would make sure of that. At the end of the cramped corrider, strewn with papers I smelt, well I smelt her fear. Knocking down the door, I only found a worse for wear apartment building, chairs covered in filth, rugs half eaten by dust mites. My sense of smell was bad to have right now, I could smell everything times ten and it was not a very good smell. I shut the door and let my keen eyes scour the place again, sadly for her I knew who what I was dealing with, a witch with the power of invisilibity, it didn't take a genius. I waved my arm and she appeared like magic, hiding behind the moth rotted chair.

"Please...I can give you money" She pleaded, her hands clasped together.

"Sorry honey, you're an outlaw, you gotta die" I pulled my trigger and her body flopped backwards, a nice new hole in the middl of her brown eyes. I was used to killing and taking lives that weren't mine, but I wasn't prepared for what happened next. Out of no where some one appeared next to her, teeth unfurled like a monster, greed and hunger rushing over her small body. I was slightly in awe of this _thing_ that had suddenly shown. She looked at me, a wash of silver rushing over me, a smile suddenly appearing on her slender face. "Thanks"

She took the witches body and orbed away. I had no idea who or what she was, but I had a strong feeling that I was about to find out.

When I got back to my hovel, I was greeted by someone I never thought I would see. His blue eyes looked me over like a hawk, yet his joval smile made it seem like we were friends. We weren't.

"Ah Randy Orton! Killer of outlaws! How are you?"

I put my trench coat on the hook, bit cliche really but I had had this jacket as long as I could remember, it was the only thing in my life I just couldn't part with, I had a strange feeling I got it from someone important, someone that I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember much these days, not that I tried mind you.

"Just fine Triple H, what can I do for you?" I kept my multi-purpose plasm shot-gun, (think of it as a shot gun that can adjust its bullets to kill what ever kind of magical being I'm hunting.) I sat down as he paced my tiny hovel, his nose seemed a bit bigger than usual.

"I hear you're the best killer out there" Triple H started nicely, I could tell that he didn't care for being here, not that I blamed him, I did try to kill him. He was an outlaw at the time, it was merely my job.

"Demon, Witch, Warrior. You're an outlaw, you die"

He let out a laugh, "Like the Witch, Melina. I guess her invisibility didn't help her much" He laughed again as he went on with his point. "Although something happened after she died, didn't it?"

I didn't say anything, Triple H in our crazy magical world was a seer. He could see things no one else could, or so he said. His eyes lit up again, "I thought so. Her name is Raven Venom"

"Raven Venom is a myth Triple H, she don't exsist. Who ever I saw was merely copying her"

He shook his head, blonde strands falling every which way, those blue eyes lit with a fire I had never seen before. "She is real and she has to die"

"Well Hunter, I don't work for free"

He tossed a pocket of coins at me, "Five thousand meseta, you get another five when she's dead"

"So what is it she did?"

He seemed to fidget for a moment, not wanting to say. "It doesn't matter" He said finally, "She's an outlaw, thats all you need to know"

I clicked my fingers and my jacket was now back on my body, I made sure my gun was fully loaded before heading out. "I guess I'll see you in about twenty seconds"

"Randy your gun won't work, not with Raven"

"Meaning?"

"There is only one weapon that will kill her, and that ain't it"

"And this weapon is?"

He shrugged his broad shoulders, trust a fucking seer to be so fucking helpful. "I don't know, I don't think anyone does."

"So tell me, how am I meant to kill the bitch if I don't have the right weapon?"

"You're the killer, you tell me"

"Is there anything about this myth you can tell me that might remotely help?"

He shrugged again making me want to shoot him, if seer's weren't so well protected I would have. "She's a cannibal, you might wanna start with that"

So once again I was out trying to eliminate outlaws of our world, our world being crowded between magic and humans. There were all kinds of magical beings living on this planet, I wasn't sure what I was to be honest, not that I told people that. I told them I was a warrior, I could pass for one after all. I looked human with my short brown hair and cold blue eyes. It was the magic that flowed in my veins that made people realise that I wasn't human. For as long as I could remember I had been a killer of outlaws, anyone from anyside that had that black ink around there right wrist was an outlaw and anyone with that mark, didn't have much time between getting it off and me killing them.

I was in the forest of all places, cannibals liked dense woods, beings usually human ventured in for various reasons, it was like a walking buffet for cannibals. It wouldn't take long to find her, if Hunter was right that is and she was actually real.

I kept still in my spot, they came and went about their business as though I wasn't there, I guess I wasn't seeing as how they didn't even know I was there. After a while it was just me and the trees until I heard it, a soft cackling.

"Are you looking for me sunshine?"

I looked up and there she was in the tree, smiling down at me as though we were playing hide and seek. Even in the darkness I could see her face perfectly.

"Raven Venom?"

She jumped down, that was a good eighty feet by the way and yet she landed with nothing more than a soft thud, I heard it but I doubted if anyone else could. Grinning she tipped her hand to me, "I am."

I pulled up the gun which didn't change her at all, she looked at it, still smiling. "I'm the man who will be killing you now"

Raven pouted at me, seriously she actually pouted. "And why on earth would you want to kill me?"

"You're an outlaw. Outlaws must die"

She held up her wrist, the black shining in the light. "It's funny, I've had this for years, centuries even and you fuckers are only _now_ doin' somethin about it."

I took aim and fired, she put a hand up and it stopped in front of her. Flicking it away as though it was a bug she cast a look at me. "That was very rude, I was talkin"

Something wrapped around my throat, suddenly I was on the ground choking trying to stay upright but not getting very far. Raven Venom stood there and just looked at me, as fast as it came it just stopped.

"Sorry about that you seemed to be chokin"

"What are you?" I had to ask because maybe if she was stupid enough she would tell me and I could kill her.

"Why don't you tell me? You seem to know everythin"

"I don't know all I know is that you're meant to be a myth"

Raven let out a long trail of laughter, "I am anythin but a myth Randal, I assure you. But since you are here to do a job, maybe I should just help? I was a Hunter"

Now I knew how to kill her, I shot and fired before she could even blink, again for the second time I missed. My silver arrow fell short and she just looked at me.

"Didn't that fucktard Triple H tell you that your gun won't work?"

"How do you know about that?"

Raven shrugged, "I know everything. I know that you don't know what you are"

"Why don't you tell me, since you know" It was a challenge that I shouldn't really be worrying about, I had a job to do but something about her was making me stall, why?

Raven didn't say anything about what I asked of her, she merely started to walk away, her long coat trailing the ground. She stopped but didn't turn around. "I know this Randy, if you shoot at me again, you'll be losing that pretty little gun of your's."

I don't know I believed her but I did. I could only watch as she vanished. She didn't orb or shimmer, she just vanished as though suddenly she wasn't real. Maybe this would be harder than I thought.


	2. Voices in my head

**Chapter 2 Voices in my head**

The next morning I headed straight towards Tonoe, usually I steered clear of the little town, the passge through was riddled with enemies so it wasn't exactly safe, but I needed answers and a new weapon and there was only one person who could help me, the information monger John Cena. The town bustled around me as I made my way to the tent in the back, pulling back the curtain I saw him sitting in his chair waiting for people to come through and ask him questions. John wasn't what you expected when you thought information monger, you usually pictured an older man wrapped in robes and filled with knowledge. Instead John was no older looking than me, settled with bright blue eyes and a dimpled grin. A bustling jovial voice that filled every inch of space in the tent.

"Ah Randy Orton! What can I do for you?"

"I need a new weapon John and some answers"

He clapped his hands together, pulling himself off his chair he limped his way towards the counter, "What kind of weapon are you after?"

"One that can kill Raven Venom"

John stopped all his movements, his blue eyes peircing through me "I don't have a weapon like that, the last I heard that weapon in particular was located in Kadary"

"What kind of weapon is it John?"

_"Its a crossbow Randal, you should know that"_

I whipped around looking for her, it was only me and John in the tent but somehow she was there. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here Randy, are you alright?" John looked to me concerned.

_"Thats a great way to be pegged insane, start asking for people that ain't there"_

"Where are you?"

_"I'm in your head. You should know that."_

John just looked at me confused, "Randy, you're talking to yourself"

_"Don't you just love telecommunication?"_

That hadn't been used in years, but something clicked instantly, telecommunication, or reading/talking to one's mind rather, could only be done if it was done before. Its like a computer chat room, you can only get in if you have the right password, you could only get inside one's head if you had been there before, so in plain black and white, Raven Venom had been in my head before, I just couldn't remember when or even how. I would remember something like that. I knew I would.

_"You've talked to me before"_

_Slow, mocking clapping burst in my head, "Yes Randy, well done! The question is, when and why?"_

_"Why don't you tell me?"_

_"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you, besides somethings are mor fun if you find out yourself. Now back to your information monger, he's lookin at you funny"_

_"You can see him? How is that possible?"_

She didn't say anything, a little click told me that she was gone from my head and I was on my own once more.

"John what do you know about Raven Venom?"

"Not much I'm afraid, she used to be a Hunter"

"Used to be? What is she now?"

"No one knows, she was taken by someone called Leishic and thats where the time line goes cold"

"Do you know of any weapon or way, that isn't in Kadary, to kill her?"

John shook his head "No. But even if you did have the weapon from Kadary, I don't think that'll be enough. See the rumors I head through the grapevine is since her run in with Leishic, she has become, well she has become _Untouchable_"

"You don't know anything else about her? Anything that could be helpful?"

_"I don't like peas"_

"Would you fuck off!"

John just gave me an odd look but I didn't notice, I was busy stalking away and back to the last place where her trail had been coming from, an old church roof on the outskirts of Tonoe.

When I got there, she was waiting for me on the roof, covered in darkness. Middle of the day and yet this roof was blanketed in dark. Her back was to me but she knew I was there, her voice told me so.

"Glad you could make it Randy, I have a deal for you"

"I'm not interested in making deals, not with an outlaw"

"Pity"

I couldn't help but bite, I had heard all the deals in my time and I wondered what she was going to say, it could've been very intresting what she had to say.

"Alright Raven, whats your deal?"

"Stop chasing me and I won't unravel the world you hold so dear. I go back to my life and you go back to yours"

"Thats your deal? Pretty pathetic if you ask me"

Raven finally turned to face me, I had to admit she was quite pretty, I wouldn't deny her that. "If you keep up chasing me, then I'll have no choice but to react, and trust me what I can do to you is way more devestating to anything you do to me"

"Yeah, no deal. You're an outlaw, you gotta die"

Raven gave a sad shrug, "If thats the way you want it"

Before she could jump off the roof and make her way to freedom, I grabbed her shirt, ripping it to nothing but a mere shred. It was all I got of her before she vanished. I couldn't help the image that floated in my head, all over her chest, her back, her belly and even her throat were covered in tattoos, it wasn't the tatts that got me, it was the fact that I was so sure that I had seen them before, up close and personal.

"Shirt ripper!" Raven yelled catching me off guard ripping my shirt right off my body, she stopped suddenly and cocked her head to the side, as though she didn't expect to see what she saw.

"That's interesting" She looked me over again before once more vanishing from my grip. I couldn't deny what had just happend, she had seen the tattoos covering my arms before. She had seen them as I had seen her's.


	3. Random flashback

**Chapter 3 Random flashback**

After that little encounter, I felt more drained than ever. Instead of heading back to Aiedo, the town where I lived, I decided to just lay down on the church roof, surely I would be safe and if I wasn't, at least I could kill something, I hadn't killed anything in almost two days, I was starting to miss the feeling. In the darkness I lay and just let the silence wash over me, shutting my eyes everything became blocked out and all I could hear was my own heart beat. That took me back.

_Random flashback!_

We trailed the woods, keeping our guard up at all times. When there was a war going on, you had to be on your toes all the time. We didn't speak, not that we had too, we had been together for so long that words had lost their meaning, all communication was done with looks or gestures, if we really needed it there was always telecomunication. The woods seemed to go on forever until at long last we reached a clearing, in the middle sat an abandonned building.

"Told you there was an old inn around here"

She spoke softly, it was the first words I had heard from her in days, weeks even. She looked around, sniffing the air. "Its ok"

We inched towards it slowly in case she was wrong, I doubted she was but when there was a war going down, you couldn't rely on much. It was clear when we got in but we still did a search around anyways, extra safety never hurt anyone.

"Wanna take first watch?" She asked barely, I had to strain to hear her which was weird because my hearing was abnormal to the magical world which was saying alot.

"Sure" I grabbed my multi purpose plasm shotgun and headed back to the night. I sat on the porch and just looked at the moon, full and bright and somewhere way off I could hear the wolves howling at the moon. They didn't sound close, not that it mattered I had my gun and she had her crossbow. I wasn't sure how long I was out there but soon enough, she came out and took over.

"You alright Raven Venom?"

Raven gave me a tired smile pulling down the sleeves to her shirt, a thin black line around her wrist. I had asked about it but she just said it was nothing, it wasn't important. "I will be Hunter, wanna get some sleep and I'll take over"

I kissed her forehead as I got up, my lips soft on her skin. "Thanks Wifey"

_End Flashback!_

I pulled myself up and tried to remember the random image that floated in my head, it wasn't a dream, I could tell that much, I remembered all of it and it felt so real, I could feel her skin on my lips. Everything just pounded in my brain and for the first time in years, I was starting to get a headache. So far this is what I had figured out.

1) There was a war going on

2) We were travelling together

3) We were married, or at least she was my wife

4) She had her crossbow, but she didn't now, so did that mean that she lost it, or it was taken, or was this flashback even real?

5) She already had her outlaw band on,

6) Did this mean that I was a hunter as well before I was a killer of outlaws and if I was a Hunter then what happened and why was she calling me Hunter?

And now my head is pounding to the point where I thought it would explode, I could feel my brain pressing against my skull. I shut my eyes and something else pounded in my head, something she had told me that night, an answer to a question I had been burning to ask, _Where did you get your crossbow?_

_From an old friend in Kadary, he is long dead but this was given to me. Its all I have left now and when I no longer need it, it'll go back to Kadary._

Ok so I already knew that her weapon was in Kadary but this just confirmed it, I pulled myself up and orbed myself to Kadary, hopefully it wouldn't take long to find it and then find her, already I knew too much and I didn't want to know anymore.


	4. Hands off

**Chapter 4 Hands off**

When I got to Kadary, I couldn't help but wonder if she had followed me or whether or not she was already here. I wasn't sure if I wanted her to be here or not, if she was I could dispose of her but then again she had already escaped me, maybe I should just leave it be, I wasn't sure if I could handle any more dreams like the last one. I had no idea where her crossbow would be but I figured it couldn't be far. I scaled through the town, dodging various shoppers and townsfolk, Kadary was made up of stone paths and many shops where doors weren't visible. Each shop had a picture logo at the top instead of words, the weapons store held a sword and shield, the inn had a bed, you get the point. I went into the weapons store where a beautiful blonde thing was working the counter. A mere illusionist so I was alright.

"Hi, what can I get you?"

"I would like any crossbows you have"

She searched her stock, blonde hair flicking its way over her shoulder, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any crossbows, actually according to this, we don't even sell crossbows"

I just stared at her, sometimes an evil glare was enough to get the information required. She shifted un-easily, "If you go to the church on the main path, the Priestess Kelly may be able to help you, tell her that Beth sent you"

I guess I had to go to the church, even us magical folks believed in some sort of higher power, you always gotta believe in something.

I crossed my way to the church, the velvet walls created a tent/teepee effect. The Priestess Kelly was sitting up the front in a throne, talk about ego.

"You come in search of answers do you not?"

The pure angelic voice did nothing to me, it just sounded so fake. "Yeah I guess, Beth sent me"

Kelly let out a laugh, "Of course she did! She always sends the difficult customers to me, so what is it you seek?"

"A crossbow"

"Thats it? My dear! Termi is the town for 'eccentric' weapons! Us Kadarians prefer old school weapons, axes and swords"

"Not any crossbow, the crossbow that belonged to Raven Venom"

Kelly stopped all movement, her blue eyes expanding, "The legendary crossbow has not been seen in centuries, in fact it has been so long we are questioning its exisistance, along with the one you call Raven Venom"

"Oh believe me Priestess, she's real and so is her bow, so where is it?"

"I'm sure I don't know" Kelly took off her hood and sat on the pew, patting a spare spot for me. "Why do you seek Raven Venom?"

"I've been sent to kill her, she's an outlaw"

Kelly let out a sigh, rolling up her sleeve of her red robe, a nice thick scar ran down her arm. "I came across her once, she didn't have much faith to speak of, I questioned her motive of the four murders she had commited, four good women, one a human and one her own clan member, gone and all from her bow" Kelly let out another sigh as she put her sleeve back in place.

"You said murder? Its not unusual for her kind to commit murder"

"Aye, but these murders were different, like I said one of them was a member of her own clan, and one was a human. In her quiver she held many arrows, all coloured the same, blue. A nuetral colour which will kill almost anything, but there was a rumor that she once carried a golden arrow, a silver arrow and a green arrow, then when her quiver was checked again, they were gone and so where four people all close to her,"

"So where is her crossbow now? Last I heard, it was here in Kadary"

Kelly patted my hand, "I do not know but I guess it could be true, the rumors do say that Raven Venom is a native of Kadary"

"What other rumors are there about her?"

"Rumors about her are many, I don't know what is true anymore, the murders she commited, the people she has eaten, the weaponry she possess', the invisible arms out her back"

"Invisible arms?"

"Aye, legend says that Raven Venom has thirteen invisible arms spanning a two metre radius that come out of her back, she controls them at will and are very deadly, rumor says that they are a defence mechinism, if she is rendered unconsious, her vectors, as they are called, will come out and protect her"

"Back to the crossbow, do you know whether or not its in Kadary, or someone that knows where it may be?"

Kelly pursed her lips together, "I myself do not know, but there is a house on the outskirts of town, a fortune teller by the name of Christy Hemme will be able to tell you more,"

"A fortune teller? Really?"

"She is a retired seer, betrayed by husbnd and banished here with limited power, however she is more helpful than anyone realises"

Guess I had to make another trip, I have to admit that by this time I was getting tired and lazy, instead of walking out of the town and down the wall line, I merely orbed to it. Like I said, I was getting lazy. I went in and saw Christy sitting at the table with a crystal ball, "Little cliche don't you think?"

She gave me a big grin, "It's for the humans, they somehow feel better if you wave your hands in front of a crystal ball. So what can I do for you? Wait, let me guess" She laughed again as her lanky frame wobbled, Christy, I could tell was one of those seers that really didn't need any more coffee, her bright red hair flew every which way. "You have come in search of a weapon...a bow of some sort...belonging to the legend...Raven Venom..." Her blue eyes snapped open, "Why do you seek that weapon Randy?"

"Because I'm going to use it to kill her, she's an outlaw, she must die" I gave Christy a long look, "Can you tell me, why is she an outlaw?"

Christy shut her eyes and concentrated, "Nothing is coming up...that doesn't make much sense...she must've done somethin...but nothing is here..." Again her eyes came open, "I'm sorry Randy but from what I can see, there is no plausable reason as to why she is an outlaw"

"Nothing about the four murders she commited? The people she has eaten? The weapons that surely she stole?"

Christy shook her head "No, accordin to this, she has done nothing wrong and doesn't even deserve the outlaw band"

And the mystery deepens, my possible wife killing people and eating them, having weapons that she shouldn't even have and now an outlaw band for no apparant reason.

"However I can tell you where her bow is" Christy's voice cut through me, her blue eyes shut "Third temple...second treasure box...guarded by a Mecha...one hit kill should do it"

I took off towards the third temple, I had no idea what it was or where it was but still my feet seemed to know because thirty seconds later I was staring at the second treasure box, plasm gun in hand ready to kill the Mecha (machine monster) I cleared it easily and there it was, sleek and black without a scrape or scratch on it, not even a cobweb despite the box being clouded in dust. I pulled it out and for my trouble went soaring across the room, my back painfully hit the wall and a figure emerged out of the dust.

"Uh-uh, you no touchy touchy"

"Raven Venom" I managed to get out as I pulled myself up,

"The one and only, I must thank you for gettin my bow for me, it was oh so very sweet"

"Why don't you just let me kill you already? It's gonna end that way, you know it and I know it"

"You're not going to kill me Randal, there is some unfinished business I have to attend too"

"What business?"

She gave me a sly smile, "Lets just say, you're here to kill me, so who am I here to kill?"

Raven Venom tapped her hat and orbed away with her weapon. I stayed where I was but slunk back to the ground, I had learnt so much today it was making my head litterly spin with dizzyness. She had killed a Human, a Hunter, a Demon and a Witch. Now she was planning on killing another one, what exactly I didn't know but she had an unstoppable weapon and a never ending quiver of fresh arrows, this was going to worse before it got better.


	5. Turning up dead

**Chapter 5 Turning up dead**

Hunter's eyes hadn't left the crystal ball since Randy's latest confrontation with Raven Venom, he knew now why she was still lingering around after so many years of loyal service, she had a target. When Hunter sent Randy after her, he thought that he was doing her a favour, after all Raven Venom had spent close to four thousand years serving her clan and pretty much keeping the world spinning, if there was one thing he could tell it was the fact that Raven was tired. She may not look her age but he knew that deep inside her, she certainly felt it. Raven was simply tired of living, tired of not being able to rest without something needing her attention. Hunter ran his fingers over the now darkened glass trying to conjure up the next move Randy or Raven would make, nothing came up but dark clouds of mist.

"You know what I really hate? People who think they know me and trust me Hunter there have been alot of them over the years"

Hunter pulled away from the crystal, his face turning at the sight of Raven, her crossbow all ready to fire. Again she had managed to escape his knowing and pretty much do as she wanted, like she had no cares for the rules.

"Why are you here?" Hunter breathed trying to get through to his protecter Shawn, Raven however smiled at him, like a wolf stalking a rabbit,

"Now you know callin for help won't do much Hunter"

"Why are you here?" He repeated as though that would make all the difference.

"I thought maybe it was time we had a little chat, tell me, when you commanded Leshiec to take me, did you know what he was going to do?"

"I didn't command him,"

Raven moved until the tip of her arrow was right at his throat, "Sure you did. You wanted me out of the way so you could try and get to Rykros to gain _Megid_, but when I moved the Aero-Prism, you decided that there was only one way to make sure I was dealt with, you told Leshiec where to find me but you didn't expect me to survive now did you?"

Hunter didn't say anything as Raven went on, "And now you send a damaged Hunter after me so you can try and regain the Aero-Prism so you can gain _Megid_"

"I don't know what your" "You can say you don't know what I'm talking about but we both know thats not true."

"Randy will kill you and when he does"

Raven let out a horrible laugh that sent deadly shivers up and down the Seer's spine, "Oh you old fool! You don't see do you? I want him to kill me! Oh yes! As soon as I've finished my business I'll let the damaged Hunter have his way, but until then I have something else to take care of"

Raven pulled her trigger, the bright blue arrow lodging through the Seer's soft flesh to the wall of his own home, blood ran down his body like a water fall. Raven quickly loaded up more arrows, releasing them into his supple body until he was pinned like a picture to his wall.

"Just to make sure"

Raven merely walked out of the building as though she owned it, her plan slowly coming together, Randy was free to kill her if he wished, but she knew that he wouldn't, not when he figured it out. It always stopped them from killing her when they found out her horrible secret.


End file.
